(cross-posting this here, from a general topic in the Tech section that doesn't seem to have gotten noticed! hoping you fellow Flash-owners can assist!)

Hey y’all,

Got a Williams Flash with a new Rottendog MPU, and Pinscore installed.

I can’t get to the settings, or start a game. The Auto-Up and advance switches don’t seem to do anything. Turning the game off and on over and over will make the credit # keep going up...and then pressing Start will drop the #, one by one, along with a sound...but that’s it.

Below is a link to a video of what’s going on. Any help greatly appreciated!

Responding to my own topic, ha.

I was able to change things a little—now, I can get the game going, and start a game, but I still can't seem to access the diagnostics?

Anyone have experience with Rottendog MPU327s? It didn't really come with a manual describing if there are unique ways that I'm supposed to interface with it, and following the instructions in the FLASH manual aren't yielding any results. It's like the switches on the inside of the coin door do absolutely nothing.

I'm going to try to trace the wires and make sure everything's connected in the right way, but if anyone has any ideas, they're appreciated!

...after this, there are a LOT of things to get fixed up on this guy, hoooooooboy...but amazingly, most of the GI and switches seem to be working!!!

...anyone know the correct tension for the shooter spring?

Hey y'all,

Finally got my Flash PLAYABLE, and it's a blast to shoot!

I do have a couple weird things that aren't working, though, and I'm not sure why:

- the blue Flash crescent never goes off
- the ascending tone never happens (I've seen it in videos...it doesn't happen on mine)

Any help appreciated! Thanks!

Thanks for this! Going to get a couple of LEDs for the bulbs, and I'm ordering the 1 ohm resistor in case that's jacked up, too. Does anyone know, is there a schematic somewhere for that board on the underside of the playfield that controls these lights?

I'll look into the tone setting, too, thank you; I didn't realize it was a setting!

Awesome; yeah, I found that thread earlier, and that's a good note about the warming resistor.

The schematic, as far as I can tell, is actually not in the manual, although admittedly I'm new to reading schematics and whatnot, and maybe I'm just totally missing it. If anyone has a page # for me to check, it'd be appreciated. Thanks for all the advice!

Hey again, everyone—new problem developed...

The right flipper is strangely weak, and will often do a "double-flip" kind of reaction when activated (I have a video I could share, if that doesn't make sense; basically, it'll quickly activate/deactivate/reactivate).

I've read the Vid thread about adjustments to the leaf switch gap, and how they should be set up, but setting the closed switch to open to exactly 1/8" when the plunger is fully depressed upon activation of the solenoid hasn't helped. Any recommendation on what ELSE could be wrong? Or is it possible the new switch that I put on is bad, in some way?

Not sure if it means anything, but there's a noticeable hum when the right flipper is activated that isn't there when the left is activated. It's not always the same hum, either, from flip to flip. Unsure if this is relevant, but thought I'd mention it.

Attaching a couple photos, in case they can shed any light on what might be wrong.

Thanks, as always, y'all.

IMG_6597 (resized).jpg

IMG_6598 (resized).jpg

Yeah, I've replaced that switch, too; brand new, seems to be making the connection fine!

I'll give this a try...appreciate your advice! Will check back once I can mess around with it...

...I believe mine do!

Finally getting around to letting koji know that bending the switch stack out a bit (so the first connection is broken more at the end of the plunger's action) seems to have worked. I do still get a good amount of hum, which is annoying, but it works! Thanks, @koji!

Some new questions:

1. the game has now started awarding score just for hitting the flipper. not sure what that's about! how to diagnose? totally new problem...

2. this might have to do with the previous issue in q1, but sometimes the game will just keep racking up points, for no apparent reason. I can't find a switch stuck on, and it only happens after playing a ball for a while. it'll stop once you drain. I think I might just be hitting something in the course of play that gets stuck on, and the machine is smart enough to know to STOP scoring it once the ball drains...but it doesn't just keep racking up points on the next ball right away. I think the next step is to go through and hit switch after switch to see if it starts the problem up, but does anyone have any experience/ideas on what might be happening there?

3. as mentioned above, I think the flippers feel weak. maybe it's just because I'm not used to this era of game, but I feel like there should be a bit more oomph. I've read Vid's guide, and I think I've adjusted things properly, but just to double-check, is there anything else I could use a meter on to see if maybe it's not getting enough voltage? not sure what to check, or what I'm looking for, or how...

4. does anyone know where to get SW-1A-133, which is the switch for the star rollovers? I can't find them anywhere...

5. because of the "constantly racking up score" issue, the score has rolled over on a game I "played"...however, the "highest score" is still a legit 800k score I've had when the game was playing more or less normally. does anyone know, does Flash not retain rolled scores? I've got a Rottendog MPU in there, as well as Pinscore LCD displays. I just find it strange that there's no indication that the score has rolled...

Any and all help appreciated, as always, thanks y'all!

Hey everyone,

At a loss for figuring out just what’s causing this “flipper causes scoring” issue on my Flash.

When I hit the left flipper, it scores 1k. When I hit the right, it scores 2k or 3k.

I can’t see any crossed wires or anything...nothing else on the playfield is happening (not advancing bonus or anything).

Any ideas?

Thanks for this! Indeed, that is totally what was happening. It was strange that it was scoring so haphazardly, and I couldn't figure out why NOTHING ELSE was happening on the playfield...it's because I've played the game so little, and didn't realize that the inner-left-rollover just scores 1k, and that's it. It was somehow scoring once with the left flipper, and two or three times with the right.

Appreciate the help!

Now I think I need to replace the power supply, because after playing for a little while, the game just resets—no tilts or anything, just resets back to the "game over" attract mode. Everything I've found while searching says there's an issue with the 5V power...not sure how to fix that, really, other than replace the board...unless anyone has advice?

Thanks much.

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to drop in with an update that my Flash is almost fully operational now, thanks to everyone's advice! Special thanks to @koji, @slochar, and Pizzaman13 for their responses to my sometimes inane questions.

Really appreciate y'all!

I did this, too, and I much prefer how it plays now. "Vid's Guide to Rebuilding Flippers" has clear and easy instructions on how to upgrade. Worth it!

Marco: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/12-6511
Action Pinball: https://www.actionpinball.com/parts.php?item=12-6511